E: 

in 

en 


8061  'iZ'HVfMVd 
'A  ' 


vn  bo, 


*RD  BRANDU3  &  CO., 

ENUE,  NEW  YORK, 

PYRIOHT    18BS. 


rNIR 
CF   THF 

-  -STFRY  OF  LA   RABIL* 
WORLD'*  FAI*  Qw^uNDt. 


in. 


[Letter  of  Columbus  to  Nicolo  Oderigo,  March  21,  1502^ 

SIR: 

The  solitude  in  which  you  have  left  us  cannot  be  described. 
I  gave  Micer  Francis  de  Ribarol  the  book  containing  my  deeds 
(or  grants,  or  concessions),  and,  also,  copies  of  the  letters  and  mes 
sages  sent  to  me;  and,  I  pray  you,  as  a  great  favor  to  me,  to 
write  to  Don  Diego  and  inform  him  of  the  place  in  which  you 
keep  those  documents,  and  the  use  you  make  of  them.  A  dupli 
cate  of  all  of  them  will  be  made,  and  sent  to  you  in  the  same  way 
and  through  the  same  channel  of  Francisco.  You  will  find  there 
a  new  concession.  Their  Highnesses  promise  therein,  as  you  will 
see,  to  give  me  all  that  belongs  to  me,  and  put  Don  Diego  In  pos 
session  thereof.  I  have  written  to  Micer  Juan  L,uys,  and  to 
Madam  Madona  Catalina  the  letter  I  enclose.  I  shall  start  out, 
in  the  name  of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity,  with  a  good  equipment, 
at  the  first  moment  of  good  weather.  If  Jerome  de  Santi  Esteban 
comes,  he  must  wait  for  me,  and  not  to  commit  himself  to  any 
thing  ;  because  they  will  try  to  get  out  of  him  all  'that  they  can, 
and  afterwards  they  will  leave  him  in  the  cold.  L,et  him  come 
here,  and  the  King  and  Queen  will  entertain  him  until  I  come. 

May  our  I^ord  keep  you  in  His  holy  guard. 

Done  on  the  2ist  of  March,  at  SEVILLE,  1502. 
I  am,  for  what  you  may  order, 

Your  servant, 

X.  M.  Y. 
XPO  KERENS. 


Bancroft  Libn 


[ORIGINAL   IN   THE  OITY   HALL,  GENOA.] 

With  this  letter  Columbus  encloses  to  Oderigo  [who,  as  the  ambassador  from 
his  native  place  to  Spain,  had  been  his  friend  and  protector]  copies  of  all  his 
letters,  patents,  grants,  titles,  privileges,  etc.,  received  from  the  Sovereigns  oj 
Spain,  authenticated  by  the  Alcalde  of  Seville.  Because  of  his  declining  years  and 
increasing  doubts  of  the  justice  of  the  King,  he  places  these  documents  in  the 
hands  of  a  trustee  for  the  benefit  of  his  family,  and  asks  Oderigo  to  apprise  his 
son,  Diego  Columbus,  of  the  fact. 

These  documents  lay  unknown  in  the  Oderigo  family  until  1870,  when  they 
were  discovered  and  placed  in  the  Archives  of  Genoa.  They  are  now  in  the  Cus- 
todia  or  monument  there,  and  have  been  published,  together  with  a  memoir  of 
Columbus^y^Dr^ioT^atHsterSpdtorno,  Professor  of  Eloquence  in  the  University 
of  Genoa, 


»  LETTER    OF 

CHRISTOPHER 

TO 

THE     CATHOLIC 

OX  THE 

RECOVERY  OK  THE  HOLY  CITY  OK  JERUSALEM. 


(The  original  is  in  the  BOOK  OF  PROPHECIES  in  the  Colombiua  Library  at  Seville.) 


MOST  CHRISTIAN  AND  HIGH  PRINCES  : 

The  reason  why  I  desire  the  restitution  of  the  Holy 
to  the  militant  church  is  the  following  : 

MOST  HIGH  KINGS  :  §^croft  Librar| 

At  a  very  early  age  I  began  to  navigate  the  seas,  and  havr 
ever  since  continued  to  do  so.  The  art  of  navigation  itself 
renders  its  adepts  inclined  to  investigate  the  secrets  of  this  world. 
More  than  forty  years  have  passed  since  I  have  been  in  thb 
habit.  Every  place  which  has  been  thus  far  navigated  by  others 
has  been  also  navigated  by  me.  I  have  dealt  and  talked  with 
learned  people,  both  Laymen  and-  Ecclesiastical,  Greek  and 
Latin,  Jews  and  Moors,  and  Sectarians  of  many  other  creeds. 
To  this  aspiration  of  mine  I  always  found  the  Lord  very  pro 
pitious.  He  gave  me  an  intelligent  spirit ;  He  made  me  abun 
dantly  qualified  for  the  office  of  a  sailor  ;  He  caused  me  to  know 
all  that  sufficed  for  my  purpose  of  Astrology,  Geometry  and 
Arithmetic  ;  and  I  received  from  Him  the  gift  of  having  ability 
in  my  mind  and  my  hands  to  draw  a  sphere  and  mark  on  it— 
every  thing  in  its  proper  place — the  cities,  rivers,  mountains, 
islands  and  ports. 

During  the  time  referred  to  I  have  been  careful  to  study 
what  has  been  written  on  Cosmography,  History,  Chronicles. 
Philosophy  and  other  arts;  and  it  was  in  this  way  that  our 
Lord,  whose  hand  in  this  affair  I  palpably  see,  put  in  my  mind  the 
idea  that  it  was  practicable  to  navigate  from  here  to  the  Indies, 
and  kindled  in  my  heart  the  desire  to  accomplish  it.  Urged  by 

this  fire,  I  came  before  Your  Highnesses. 

(OVICR) 


cf^&K^™lujW&/<'& Jd  w'urn»c*U,  »«ji<V*UW» 

So  &fc«  ofc«ru  «»cBu>U  <j  SM>«/^*V A  •  y,?g.  ^ffv^M^. 


First  part  of  an  autograph  letter  of  Columbus  to  the  Catholic  Kings  (p.  4). 


Every  one  who  heard  of  my  undertaking  laughed  at  me  and 
denied  its  soundness.  Neither  the  knowledge  I  possessed  .of  the 
sciences  aforenamed  nor  their  own  intrinsic  authority  was  of  any 
avail  to  me.  Only  in  Your  Highnesses  I  found  faith  and  per 
severance.  Who  doubts  that  this  light  came  to  Your  Highnesses, 
as  it  had  come  to  me,  from  that  very  Holy  Spirit  who  so  loudly 
and  clearly  has  given  consolation  to  the  world,  by  means  of  the 
wonderful  rays  of  light  emanating  from  the  Holy  and  Sacred 
Scripture,  in  44  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  the  4  Gospels 
and  23  Epistles  of  the  Blessed  Apostles.  Was  not  that  Spirit  the 
one  who  urged  me  to  go  on  constantly,  without  stopping  a 
moment,  and  is  still  urging  me,  and  hastening  my  steps  ? 

Your  Highnesses  must  remember  how  little  money  Your 
Highnesses  could  dispose  of  when  the  Siege  of  Granada  was 
undertaken.  The  determination  to  undertake  all  things  was  left 
by  our  L,ord  to  the  free,  will  of  every  one  of  us.  He  gives  admo 
nition  to  many  ;  but  he  denies  to  none  the  human  power  which 
he  may  need  to  engage  in  the  undertaking.  Oh!  the  goodness 
of  the  I/)rd,  who  wishes  the  people  to  do  those  things  which  will 
prove  to  be  to  their  own  advantage!  Day  and  night,  and  at  all 
moments,  men  should  be  thanking  Him  with  the  greatest 
devotion. 

I  said  before  that  many  things  contained  in  the  prophecies 
have  not  been  fulfilled  as  yet.  And  I  say  now  that  they  are 
great  things,  and  that  according  to  all  signs  our  Lord  is  hasten 
ing  its  fulfillment.  The  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  so  many 
lands,  in  such  a  short  time  as  we  have  lately  seen,  proves  that 
tome. 

Cardinal  Petrus  de  Ayliaco  writes  much  about  the  end  of 
the  Mahometan  sect,  and  the  advent  of  the  Anti-Christ,  in  a  book 
which  he  wrote  with  the  title  (in  latin)  * '  On  the  Harmony  of 
Astronomic  Truth  with  the  Historical  Statements."  He  refutes  in 
that  book  the  opinions  of  many  astronomers  on  the  ten  revolt 
tions  of  Saturn.  This  he  does  especially  at  the  end  of  said  book, 
in  the  last  nine  chapters  of  the  same. 

Abbe"  Joachim,  of  Calabria,  said  that  the  one  who  was  to 
rebuild  the  house  of  Mount  Sion  would  come  from  Spain. 


— =-Q 


v  *fr f  i*  t¥yf*^~*<*&/s 

f^^*3&3*  p^cn^yfefc, 


/i**/y 


/   &   ft  (te<^&r^p*tote4^»*/9*^-9ifatey&SMj* 
f  '*A.T         <**«  f«  n^otiw%  v  f^LpMt«i!3m*<»t*«>  *tf  OHtC.Wtttio  ^Nvi 
tfn*^^*//  ^^4^^^*n^MAJ^  ^ 


h  ^^-^^* 

x^  c«*oiKruM.  tMCL^pw  OH  tfwy*4**t>^  C*»^»f  *tt***c^a^r» 
V 


/' 


I^ast  part  of  an  autograph  letter  of  Columbus  to  the  Catholic  Kings  (p.  6). 


{Letter  of  Columbus  to  the  Bank  of  St.  George \  April  2,  750?.] 

HIGH,  NOBLE  LORDS  : 

Although  the  body  walks  about  here,  the  heart  is  constantly 
over  there.  Our  Lord  has  conferred  upon  me  the  greatest  favor 
ever  granted  to  any  since  David.  The  results  of  my  undertaking 
already  appear,  and  would  shine  greatly,  were  they  not  concealed 
by  the  blindness  of  the  Government.  I  am  going  to  the  Indies 
again  under  the  auspices  of  the  Trinity,  soon  to  return  ;  and,  since 
I  am  mortal,  I  leave  it  with  my  son  Diego  that  you  receive  every 
year,  forever,  one-tenth  of  the  entire  revenue,  such  as  it  may  be, 
for  the  purpose  of  reducing  the  tax  upon  corn,  wine  and  other 
provisions.  If  that  tenth  amounts  to  something,  collect  it.  If 
not,  at  least  take  the  will  for  the  deed.  I  beg  you  to  entertain 
regard  for  the  son  I  have  recommended  to  you.  Mr.  Nicolo  de 
Oderigo  knows  more  about  my  own  affairs  than  I  do  myself,  and 
I  have  sent  by  him  the  transcripts  of  my  privileges  and  letters 
for  safe  keeping.  I  should  be  glad  if  you  would  keep  them. 
My  Lords,  the  King  and  Queen  endeavor  to  honor  more  than 
ever.  May  the  Holy  Trinity  preserve  your  noble  persons  and 
increase  the  most  magnificent  House  (of  St.  George). 

Done  in  SEVHJ,E,  on  the  second  day  of  April,  1502. 

The  Chief  Admiral  of  the  Ocean,  Viceroy 
and  Governor  General  of  the  islands  and 
continents  of  Asia,  and  the  Indies,  of  my 
Lords  the  King  and  Queen,  their  Captain 
General  of  the  Sea  and  of  their  Councils. 

S. 

S.  A.  S. 
X.  M.  Y. 
XPO   KERENS. 


>  l*jf*»0r«  }>>fr   IH.C  »^4,j.  far^Z  SI-v^cA 

r^rAv*.  v»x  »tu  vawfci  J*~«+^f!^.  j^ 


f^m^t*"' 

(U. 


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M*yMr»*«i-%^! 


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'HAiryr^' vjpi^  "^  y»  TW^.X'  •"• — ^r 

,»».^  ^»o*  ^*^^v»T^^/   f^U^fort^ff'** 

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>^-  \Jt^,<.t*^vV~"Jl^»*.  «*» 
..<A;?^^  ^r^'   . 

W.    ,  m^/M    ^**  •>*    A*  *-»    - 

^c^'t^  y ?j -»-*  -icn''/  ^*«*t^      ^ 

M*(Ut*  *JL'«-U'^M«  o^^*5»*  f^*\xT-p>* 

^    -,  V^r-e  fiU-i.    o»«j^«^»f-   h-^^  ;  ^»-«*y  vsjr*5     *^  ^  f  XT****-  '^"A-r^    ^"m^ 


Copy  of  the  letter  of  Toscanelli  to  the  Portuguese  priest  Ferdinand  Martines, 
made  by  Columbus  on  a  fly  leaf  of  the  book  "  Historia  rerum  ubique  gestarum," 
etc. 


[Letter  of  Columbus  to  Nicolo  Odcrigo,  from  Seville,  December  27, 
1504.     Original  in  the  City  Hall  at  Genoa.~\ 

VIRTUOUS  SIR: 

When  I  started  on  my  voyage  to  the  places  from  where  I 
have  just  come,  I  spoke  at  length  with  you.  I  understand  that 
you  remember  well  all  that  then  was  said. 

When  returning  here,  I  was  in  hopes  to  find  some  letters 
from  you,  or  some  messenger  who  would  tell  me  verbally  some 
thing  in  your  name. 

At  about  the  same  time  of  ray  departure  from  here,  I  sent  to 
you  by  Francisco  de  Ribarol  a  book  containing  copies  of  several 
letters,  and  another  in  which  all  the  grants  and  privileges  given 
me  were  also  copied,  the  whole  enclosed  in  a  red-morocco  case, 
with  a  silver  lock.  I  also  sent,  with  the  same  man,  two  letters  for 
the  St.  George  gentlemen,  in  which  I  assigned  to  them  the  tenth 
of  my  revenue  in  consideration  of  and  compensation  for  the  re 
duction  made  on  the  duties  on  wheat  and  the  other  supplies.  To 
nothing  of  this  I  have  had  any  reply.  Micer  Francisco  says  that 
everything  arrived  safely.  If  this  is  the  case,  the  failure  of  the 
St.  George  gentlemen  to  answer  to  my  letters  is  an  act  of  discour 
tesy,  for  which  the  treasury  is  by  no  means  better  off.  This  is 
the  reason  why  it  is  generally  said  that  to  serve  common  people 
is  serving  no  one.* 

Another  book  of  my  privileges,  equal  to  the  one  above  men 
tioned,  was  left  by  me  at  Cadiz,  with  Franco  Catanio  (who  is  the 
bearer  of  this  letter),  with  instructions  to  send  it  to  you,  in  order 
that  you  would  keep  it,  together  with  the  other,  in  some  safe 
place,  at  your  discretion. 

At  the  time  of  my  departure  I  received  a  letter  from  the 
King  and  Queen,  my  Lord  and  Lady.  It  is  written  there.  Look 
at  it,  and  you  will  find  it  very  good.  Nevertheless,  Don  Diego 
was  not  given  possession,  as  it  was  promised.  . 

While  I  was  in  the  Indies,  I  wrote  to  Their  Highnesses, 
through  three  or  four  channels,  about  my  voyage.  One  of  these 
letters  came  back  to  me,  and  sealed  as  it  was.  I  enclose  it  in  this 
and  send  it  to  you.  In  another  letter  I  enclose  also  a  supplement 
to  the  above  description  of  my  voyage,  and  I  pray  you  to  give 
both  to  Micer  Juan  Luis,  to  whom  I  also  have  written  and  said 
that  you  will  be  the  reader  and  interpreter  of  the  said  letters. 


"Quien  sirve  a  comun,  no  sirve  a  ningun." 


I  am  anxious  to  hear  from  you,  especially  about  the  plan 
which  we  agreed  to. 

I  arrived  here  very  sick,  and  at  about  the  time  in  which  the 
Queen,  my  L,ady  (whom  God  has  with  Him),  died,  and  I  could 
not  see  her. 

Up  to  the  present,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  tell  you  what 
will  be  the  practical  result  of  all  my  doings.  I  suppose  that  Her 
Highness  has  property  provided  in  her  will  for  everything  con 
cerning  this  matter,  and  the  King,  my  Lord,  always  gives  good 
answers. 

Franco  Caianio  will  verbally  explain  to  you,  at  length,  all  the 
rest. 

May  our  Lord  keep  you  in  His  guard. 

From  SEVILLE,  December  27th,  1504. 

S. 

S.  A.  S. 
X.  M.  Y. 

XPO  FERENS, 
Great  Admiral  of  the  Ocean, 

Viceroy  and  Governor-General  of  the  Indies. 


